Eta Sigma Phi debuts Satyr play
Rachel Kemp
Issue date: 3/18/10 Section: Arts
Members of Eta Sigma Phi, the classics honorary, wrote, directed and performed an English translation of Euripides' play, "The Cyclops."
For two performances, March 13 and 14, cast members put on the traditional satyr play. Originally performed at the annual festival of Dionysos as comic relief, after a series of tragic plays. Greek myths inspired the general plot outline for the satyr plays, but the playwrights' addition of bawdy and alcaholic satyrs defined the genre.
"The Cyclops" tells the story of Odysseus' defeat of the Cyclops, Polyphemos, and the satyrs' attempt to rob Odysseus of his vast supply of wine.
After reading "The?Cyclops" in Greek last semester, senior MaryBeth Banovetz decided to translate the 750 line play for Eta Sigma Phi's performance.
Banovetz said the challenging part of translating was adapting the specific language for a modern audience.
"They had a lot of idiomatic expressions, and I had to come up with modern expressions," she said, explaining that when she described Odysseus drilling into Polyphemos' eye, she compared it to a dentist drilling rather than shipwrighting.
Associate Professor of Classical Studies and Eta Sigma Phi adviser Joseph Garnjobst translated the choral odes, or librettos, for the production and adapted them to popular songs, while still trying to convey the original meaning.
"He tried to capture the spirit of the original songs," Banovetz said.
Despite minor alterations to the text and the omission of the traditional phallic costume pieces, Banovetz tried to direct her cast to perform the play as true to the original as possible.
"People have been doing a great job," she said.
To prepare, the cast rehearsed intermittently for about a month.
Senior Matt Johnson, who played Polyphemos, said that getting into character was not difficult for him.
"I'm half muscle and half fat, so this comes naturally," he said.
Eta Sigma Phi President and junior Theo Harwood had similar feelings about preparing for his role as Papa Silenus, the head of the satyrs.
For two performances, March 13 and 14, cast members put on the traditional satyr play. Originally performed at the annual festival of Dionysos as comic relief, after a series of tragic plays. Greek myths inspired the general plot outline for the satyr plays, but the playwrights' addition of bawdy and alcaholic satyrs defined the genre.
"The Cyclops" tells the story of Odysseus' defeat of the Cyclops, Polyphemos, and the satyrs' attempt to rob Odysseus of his vast supply of wine.
After reading "The?Cyclops" in Greek last semester, senior MaryBeth Banovetz decided to translate the 750 line play for Eta Sigma Phi's performance.
Banovetz said the challenging part of translating was adapting the specific language for a modern audience.
"They had a lot of idiomatic expressions, and I had to come up with modern expressions," she said, explaining that when she described Odysseus drilling into Polyphemos' eye, she compared it to a dentist drilling rather than shipwrighting.
Associate Professor of Classical Studies and Eta Sigma Phi adviser Joseph Garnjobst translated the choral odes, or librettos, for the production and adapted them to popular songs, while still trying to convey the original meaning.
"He tried to capture the spirit of the original songs," Banovetz said.
Despite minor alterations to the text and the omission of the traditional phallic costume pieces, Banovetz tried to direct her cast to perform the play as true to the original as possible.
"People have been doing a great job," she said.
To prepare, the cast rehearsed intermittently for about a month.
Senior Matt Johnson, who played Polyphemos, said that getting into character was not difficult for him.
"I'm half muscle and half fat, so this comes naturally," he said.
Eta Sigma Phi President and junior Theo Harwood had similar feelings about preparing for his role as Papa Silenus, the head of the satyrs.
Be the first to comment on this story